Institute of the Black World 21st Century

Founded in 2002 and incorporated as a 501(c)(3) in 2007, the Institute of the Black World 21st Century (IBW-21) is committed to building the capacity and power of Black communities in the United States and globally to work for cultural, social, economic and political upliftment; to developing the global Black community; and to enhancing the quality of life for Black people. IBW-21 specializes in functioning as a good faith facilitator and convener that promotes a culture of collaboration to heal and empower Black families, communities, and nations. Its initiatives, which include The Black Family Summit, Criminal Justice Reform Collaboratives, State of the Black World Conferences, Haiti Support Project, Pan African Unity Dialogue, and the National African American Reparations Commission (NAARC), are illustrative of the collaborative structures that IBW-21 convenes and administers. NAARC, the signature program of IBW-21, is comprised of an assembly of experienced and talented reparations advocates, scholars, socially conscious business and professional leaders, and civil rights, human rights, and faith leaders. Over the last several years, NAARC has been an authoritative voice on reparations issues in the United States and Africa. Its 10-point reparations plan, in particular, has been a frame of reference for public discourse in many contexts. In partnership with the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America (N’COBRA) and other human rights organizations, it facilitated the strategy group for the H.R.40 process and spent 40 weeks developing an education and public awareness strategy to promote the bill. It also facilitated and certified Evanston’s reparations plans which it hopes to improve and replicate in several cities across the country. This award to support general operations of IBW-21 will strengthen its infrastructure and its efforts to elevate conversations and activities on reparations in the United States and for the global Black diaspora.

The National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America

The Institute for the Black World 21st Century's (IBW-21) project, the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America (N'COBRA), was established in 1987, and is one of the premiere grassroots efforts solely created to win reparations for people of African descent in America. N’COBRA has spearheaded, led, co-led, or supported every major reparations action in the United States. For instance, it was N’COBRA’s efforts in 1989 that persuaded congressman John Conyers to introduce a federal bill that is now known as HR 40. Members of N’COBRA assisted in crafting the bill, and the coalition provided the major education and advocacy platform to unpack its contents. As a member of the National African American Reparations Commission (NAARC), N’COBRA co-led the team that revised the current HR-40 bill that received an historic vote by the Judiciary Committee and will soon be sent to the House of Representatives for a full vote. In addition to national efforts, N'COBRA has taken the lead in theorizing the foundational elements and organizing actions for local and state level reparations efforts. Working closely with the cities of Evanston, Chicago, Ashville, Amherst, Washington DC, and Philadelphia, N'COBRA is assisting with the development of comprehensive reparations plans and policies. With the groundswell of interest and current momentum to address reparations, this award supports N’COBRA to continue to lead the reparations movement in the United States and globally.